


Reboot

by metalvsflesh (ZoicZeph)



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Blitzcrank is 4, Blood and Injury, Desperation, Does pretty well until emotions are involved, Father-Son Relationship, Fatherhood, Magic-Users, Mild Blood, Minor Character Death, Near Death Experiences, Other, Poorly Timed Dad Jokes, Sick Character, Stomach Ache, Survivor Guilt, Viktor tries to dad, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-20 00:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15522144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoicZeph/pseuds/metalvsflesh
Summary: In the aftermath of Jayce's attack, Viktor gives everything he has left to save Blitzcrank, who only wishes he could have done more to prevent the loss of so many innocent lives. To which Viktor gives his best and only advice: accept it and move on.





	Reboot

**Author's Note:**

> Things to make this make sense:
> 
> 1) Blitzcrank and Viktor reunited post-Viktor becoming the Machine Herold. (See previous fic: Pinky Promises) Instead of splitting early on, as in canon.
> 
> 2) Blitzcrank was around for Jayce's attack on the lab. He had been working with Viktor to save the people in need of help.
> 
> 3) Viktor is capable of gravity-based and electricity-based magic. When he uses the magic too much without technological aid, he has physical drawbacks such as bloody noses and coughing up blood (for electricity magic), as well as extreme nausea (for gravity magic).

Incoming audio unclear. Possible damage to sensors. There was only static.

Vision blurry. Still adjusting. Only gray and brown blots showed.

Detected damage to right side. Something loose. No input from right arm.

Steam engine not to full capacity.

_Was this what it's like to come alive?_

Audio partially restored. Static still prevalent. Ringing can be heard.

"Bl- cra-"

No discernable message.

"Ar- ou- til-"

Harsh disturbance in message.

Vision blurry. Still adjusting.

Detected damage to right side. No sensory input from right arm. Presumably damaged.

Steam engine nearing functionality.

_Is anyone alive? How would they be alive?_

Attempting audio reboot. Attempt 6.

_Anyone? Even after it all?_

Vision reboot. Attempt 3.

Steam engine functional.

_I can't believe.._

Audio restored. Inputs suggest the following: exposed wiring, damaged pipes to nearby buildings, at least three shattered chem-lamps. Presumably more damage in surrounding area.

"Blitzcrank!" voice detected. Emotions: fear, worry, anger. "Are you there!?"

_Father-_

"Is someone there?"

"I- yes! Yes, I'm here!"

Vision blurry. Still adjusting.

"I can not see."

"You can't see?"

"I can not see."

"Give me a moment-" message interrupted. Source: coughing, choking(?).

Vision restored.

More coughing, "Can you see now?"

"Yes."

The crumbled remains of a building surrounded me. Perhaps a warehouse, or a laboratory. The Grey was light. Dust was settling, or had settled. What happened?

_Friend Jayce._

A friend? Was this what friends did?

_... Jayce._

"Blitzcrank, are you still there?" Creator Viktor. Emotion: indecernable. Message too quiet.

"Yes," I turned my head to face him.

_Father-_

Creator Viktor layed against my side. His third arm was half torn from him, falling limp down his back, occasionally throwing sparks as it twitched. His scarf was torn. He lacked his mask. A dark liquid dripped from his mouth. Unable to identify. Reason: low light. Breathing pattern: undesirable. Trembling.

"Thank Janna.." Creator Viktor. Emotion: relief. He slowly reached up with his right hand. He just barely grazed my chin with the tips of his fingers before letting his hand fall limp on my chest. Coughing resumed. "Systems update."

_Doctor. Need a doctor._

"Audio: functional. Vision: functional. Engine: functional. Cognitive sync: not active."

"Cognitive sync? What on earth is that?" Creator Viktor. Emotion: confused, disoriented, exasperated. Question presumably 'rhetorical'. "Are all vital functions active?"

_Doctor. Doctor. Get him to a doctor._

I whirred as I processed the question, "Negative."

"What has not been restored?"

"Cognitive sync is inactive. Mobility is not possible."

"I can fix that.." Creator Viktor wiped the dark liquid from his mouth with the end of his scarf, then moved to work at a hatch at my side. Electricity arched from my wiring to his fingers, to his opposite hand, then back through my wiring. The wavering light produced illuminated his face. His augmented eyes appeared sunken at this current angle, though they were focused and illuminated. If only dimly. His wrinkles, too - a sign of age and a human weakness - seemed to be harder, more pronounced. Stress levels high.

_Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor._

My emotions were attempting to control me, but right now was an emergency. Emergencies don't need emotion, they require sense. Panic will do nothing good in this case. They will only make things worse.

Creator Viktor leaned away from me, towards a slab of stone that laid on top of my leg. It appeared to be preventing my leg from bending. He touched a hand to it, mumbled, then retracted his hand. The stone began to slowly rise into the air, and he turned back to me.

Mobility restored. Input from both legs received.

"There," Creator Viktor said before making a face. Expression: grimace. He clutched his side. A noise escaped him; a grunt.

_Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Get Doctor._

"Are you injured?" I asked.

"No," Creator Viktor. Emotion: anger, frustration, pain. His expression changed.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, yes, of course I'm-!" Creator Viktor's eyes widened. He made a noise not unlike the low, warped noise the sewage pipes made. I recall the name being something along the lines of 'gurgle'.

His free hand was immediately placed over his mouth. He made the noise again.

"Are you certain you are not injured?"

Creator Viktor did not answer. Instead, he attempted to stand. His legs shook beneath him and his face paled as he shuffled away from me.

_Bad bad bad bad bad bad get doctor bad bad._

Emotions. Again, unneeded.

"Are you certain-"

Creator Viktor choked and collapsed to the ground. He made the noise again, coughed, then an indiscernable liquid flooded from his mouth onto the mud and dust on the ground.

Something in me clicked.

 

* * *

 

 

Why was he leaking? Did he need help? What was I supposed to do? Am I supposed to help him?

I'm scared. I'm confused. I don't know what to do.

Is he going to be okay? Was he okay?

_Why was he leaking?_

Father finally stopped leaking and gasped, coughing again, making more of that noise. He shook violently. Was he cold? Did he require warmth? When did I start standing? Was it raining? Father lurched and started leaking again.

What could I do? What should I do? Did I do something wrong?

He stopped, but looked like he was going to start again. He still shook, choked, coughed a few times. Something didn't feel right. With a deep breath father pushed himself back, sitting on his knees, and leaned his head back. It was so dark. Why did he have his eyes closed? Father splayed his fingers out in his lap and took several deep breaths. Was that a smart thing to do in Zaun?

He tried to stand, despite his legs shaking so severely. It wasn't working.

I should help.

Though there was quite a bit of damage to my right arm, I managed enough to be able to pick up Creator Viktor. Gently. I held him close, my engine buzzing with worry.

"Father.." I felt guilty. I couldn't help him. I couldn't help _anyone,_ and now they were all dead, and father was... _"I'm so sorry.."_

"Don't let your emotions confuse you," he scolded, somehow managing to hold a stern face despite his pale and weak state. He made a noise somewhere between a cough and a wretch, covering his mouth with a hand. "Don't feel sorry for something that you cannot control."

"I could've done something.."

"This was not your fault."

"I didn't help-"

"Stop."

"I didn't save anyone. Is that not what I'm supposed to be doing?"

"What did I say?"

I stopped talking. Father held his expression for a moment, then softened. This was uncharacteristic of him. Surely, he was not well.

"You did what you could," he murmured. "Don't let your guilt or your sadness take control. Despite what they say, there's nothing more you could have done. Forget it and move on."

I didn't say anything to that, it was far too soon for that to ever happen. But there was a wisdom behind his words, so I filed them away and promised to heed them at a later date.

"You are not well."

Father's optics flickered. He looked bad, "No, but at least you are alive."

Alive? Since when?

"I am a steam golem, father."

He gave time for pause, then smiled weakly and chuckled, "Hello, a steam golem. I'm dad."

My entire body sighed. Father barked with laughter before breaking into a fit of coughs. He coughed so harshly I nearly dropped him. I felt a rumbling deep in my chest. I always got rumbles when I was scared...

"I'm taking you to the doctor," I tried my best to impersonate father's 'scolding' voice. "You have no choice but to comply."

Father didn't respond. He only continued to cough for a little more before letting his hand fall to lay across his chest, something liquid in state dotting his glove. His eyes drifted shut.

"Viktor-"

"I'm just catching my breath," he mumbled, resting his head against my shoulder.

I chirped quietly, navigating my way out of the crumbled remains of what once was father's workshop, where not long before numerous lives would have been saved.. if only he hadn't come.. if only he hadn't lashed out at us...

No matter. Emotions are.. they're bad. I'm not bad, I'm good, so I won't let emotions distract me. No emotion. Now was an emergency!

What was I doing? Oh, a doctor. Yes. Right. Where was the nearest doctor?

The nearest trustworthy doctor was located east and across a bridge from father's workshop, in the upper Entrosol level. The most reliable and efficient way to get there would be to simply walk straight there, but I didn't want to risk running into.. into... him. Though, I have no way of knowing how much time has passed, meaning he has likely already fled to his safe space in Piltover now. Thus the straight forward way was fine to traverse.

It may draw attention of shoppers, which had a relatively high chance of aiding me, but also a high chance of hindering me - factoring in father's current reputation and rounding.

Well if.. if anyone tried to stop me, I'll just have to be mean to them! Be angry and mean to people. Be... Be... What was the word they used? Stand-offish. People won't like a golem being stand-offish. They'll leave me alone.

"I'm sorry, Blitzcrank," Viktor sighed.

"There is no need."

"There is," he shifted to rest both his arms on top of himself. "There most certainly is."

"I do not think so. You did not cause all this, did you?"

He was silent, for some reason giving careful thought to his answer. He must have not found an answer, because he didn't give one. Or he fell asleep. Humans tend to fall asleep when they are tired. Not giving an answer wasn't like father, though, so I elected to forget about the conversation.

He was likely delirious for the majority of the time, anyways.


End file.
